NPC Spotlight

Fafnir

Kaladrax had a complicated history with his father. For him it began with beatings when he showed aptitude for magic. He thought his father was punishing him for being adept with magic but the truth was so much worse. Fafnir held a dark secret from the rest of the family. His only confidants were his friend and partner, Marx, and his wife, Glaurunda.

When Fafnir was young he had been the member of a hidden tribe of black Dragonborns in the swamps of Chult. Being so deep inside the treacherous terrain made it impossible for the world to know about them. In secret they lived and prepared. When Fafnir became of age a ceremony was held to name him the Umbral Ambassador. He had no clue what that meant and when it was over there was no joy in the village only pity and fear. People averted their eyes. Later, it was explained to him that he was the inheritor of a great, terrible power that once belonged to Null, the god of Dead Dragons. He was to study and grow stronger to be able to fight the god if needed but most of all he was warned not to use the dark power. It would draw the attention of the god and it could not end well for anyone.

He had no aptitude for magic, being a better fighter and strategist. Still he studied his hardest and tried to make his father, the chieftain proud. The downside of this great trust placed upon him was that the village no longer spoke to him. He was expected to study and grow strong. The villagers both pitied him and feared what he might bring upon them if he should fail. So, they tried to ignore him both to give him space to do his job and because they feared the power he housed. It became too much to handle after a time and he began questioning the teachings. He also began pondering the use of the dark power. He eventually decided to use the power and felt elated for a short time at being able to wield it. He went back to his village but a big grin of triumph on his face.

The grin quickly vanished when he heard screaming and saw fire in the village. He ran towards it and managed to identify some of the faces he saw streaming past. All who saw him ran away from him. He thought he had changed somehow and frightened them but a giant roar ahead proved him wrong. The dark shadow of a dragon loomed over the village in the night. The villagers were running and throwing themselves on the dragon to distract it. His father found him frozen at the sight of such carnage and made him run away. His last memory of that time was seeing his father cry as he ran towards the dragon and impaled himself upon its claws to give him time to escape.

He ran and didn’t stop until he reached a port town. From there, he made it to Waterdeep and began studying his condition and how to stop it. He could not find a way, only how to rejoin it with its original host, Null. Along the way he met Marx, who turned out to be a piece of the key to Null’s heart. They were two pieces of a whole. Their friendship was strong and helped them build a successful trading business. They eventually moved to King’s Crest to corner the market there and that was when he met Glaurunda. It was instant love and, after wooing her for some time, they were married and had Kaladrax. They were so happy for years but when Kaladrax began showing signs of magical prowess his heart broke.

He knew Kaladrax might inherit the power and so tried to train him as best he knew how so he would be ready when the time came. The beatings were the same he had received when training and he hoped the would forge Kaladrax into a strong dragonborn like he was. He also hoped that Kaladrax would succeed where he would not. When he died of the Curse of Ash, he was not able to see that Kaladrax eventually put the pieces together and did what was needed. He killed Marx, when his father could not, because he had to free the true key, a sword, within the body. Armed with that, his knowledge and with the help of his friends, he beat back Null and his minions to reunite the broken pieces. After that was done he went home and brought his father back from the dead.

Fafnir came back to the living and back into the loving arms of his wife and son. Though their relationship had been fractured, the years to come would mend the wounds and lessen the pain of the past. Fafnir lived a long life after his second chance so he focused on the agricultural district and his family to make up for lost time.